Zhejiang 'most awesome nail house' demolished, as householder agrees to accept official defined compensation and vacates his home at night

'Zhejiang most awesome nail house' standing in middle road, which has been called the symbol of Chinese resistence against forced demolition of their properties, was demolished on Saturday, as duck farmer signs relocation agreement and vacates his middle road house at night. ...More

A half demolished five storey building stands in the middle of a newly built thoroughfare to a nearby high-speed railway in Wenling, Zhejiang, November 26, 2012. The strange sight is so eye-catching that it has drawn almost all major media around the globe. The middle road house is called the most awesome nail house of China by Chinese and a symbol of Chinese resistence against forced demolition and corruted government by western media.

67 years old Mr. Luo Baogen, dubbed the 'most awesome nail householder 'of Zhejiang by Chinese netizens, signed relocation agreement with the village government of Xiayangzhang, Daxi Town, Wenling of Zhejiang province on Friday, Nov. 30, 2012. Luo Baogen family vacated his middle road house in the same night. And before dawn of December 1, bulldozers came to the spot and started to demolish the internationally highly exposed nail house. And before the evening of Saturday, the demolish work had been finished and road paving work began immediately.

Wenling middle road house is called most awesome nail house of China

Since early November when images of Mr. Luo Baogen's five-story house were uploaded online, the duck farmer, his family and his nail house in Wenling city of Zhejiang province quickly became headline of Chinese internet press. The five-story ragged house standing proudly in middle of a thoroughfare to an important high-speed railway station of Wenling, renders such an incongruous sight when cars drive around it while the 6-member family still lives in it that it even drew a whole world's attention.

Mr. Luo Baogen's family has since been called the most awesome nail householder (最牛钉子户) of China, while western media widely regard his house as a symbol of Chinese resistence against forced demolition of their homes by authority.

Luo Baogen, 67, had just completed his house at a cost of about 600,000 yuan ($95,000) when the government approached him with their standard offer of 260,000 ($41,000) to move out — which he refused. In 2011, all the other 36 households signed agreement with the Daxi Towship government of Wenling, took the aparently unfair compensation and moved away, leaving alone Luo Baogen's house standing there.

"Compensation terms in the relocation agreement with the nail householder remain the same"

According to Xiayangzhang Village offcials, the compensation terms in the relocation agreement remain the same as before. Mr. Luo Baogen's family get 260,000 thousand RMB in addition to usage rights of two patches of land (China allows no ownership of all land).

While most domestic and foreign media highlight the cash compensation of 260,000 RMB, Chinese insiders point out that the usage rights of the two plots of land is by far much more valuable, which worth up to 3 million RMB by some estimation, which may be the real reason that Mr. Luo Baogen agreed to sign the relocation agreement with authority, which means the agreement has surely been changed.

Luo Baogen did not receive interview anymore with his mobile phone turned off.

It appears to be a typical way how Chinese government handles highly attentioned incident in China. First they refuse the demand of a Chinese stubborn citizen for months or years, but when the incident gets exposed and then swirls to national or even international attention, the government usually quickly satisfies or over-satisfies all demand they initially refused. The condition: the citizen should shut up and leave the media center with the money they get from the government.

Official hails the resolution of the middle road nail house a Harmonious demolition

Officials in Wenling hailed the demolition of Luo Baogen's nail house as a harmonious relocation case.

"Wenling is the source of democratic consultation, which has solved many civil affairs in Wenling during the last 13 years. The relocation of Luo Bangen's family fully enbodies the spirit of democratic consultation, ensuring the interest of the masses are not jeopardized. In fact, the related government department behaved in a humane method and did not cut off the power and water supply for the family of Luo Baogen. And after the affair became socially highly focused incident, the party committee, and city government has paid great importance to the incident and always require related department try hardest to do the explanation and persuation work. This is a successful case that shows Wenling enforces harmonious demolition based on agreement and according to law. " An official in Wenling of Zhejiang said.

A moving company hired by the local government is helping Luo Baogen's family to move all furnitures and items out of the to-be-demolished nail house, Wenling, Zhejiang, on the night of November 30, 2012.

A moving company hired by the local government is helping Luo Baogen's family to move all furnitures and items out of the to-be-demolished nail house, Wenling, Zhejiang, on the night of November 30, 2012.

Dmolition work of the most awesome nail house of China begins in Xiayangzhang village, Wenling of Zhejiang, at dawn of December 1, 2012. The nail householder, 67 years old Luo Baogen signed relocation agreement with local government at around 18:35, Nov. 30, 2012 then he vacated his house with help of a moving company hired by the government for him.

Several bulldozers is demolishing the most awesome nail house of China, Wenling, Zhejiang, Dec. 1, 2012. The demolition work finished on the afternoon and the road pavement job immediately began.